Times Like These!: September 2008

Me and the boys just being silly!

I just wanted to post a few fun random pictures of the kids! We even have a few of good ol' Joey!! He actually loves posing for the camera....i couldnt get echo to even sit still long enough to take one...man you can tell that dog is 14! she is like a crochety old lady! The gavinator thought he was pretty funny getting his picture taken of him picking his nose...crazy boy!
This was the only picture i could get with both dogs!!

And the funniest part was joey had gas and he had let one rip while little gavinator was laying on him...after this picture was taken, little G says to me, " eeewww mommy...joey toot! Stinky toot toot!"..and he took off running while plugging his nose! Let me tell you...it did stink..it made my eyes burn....so all the fun picture taking ended and little joey had a date with the backyard for while!

Ralph William Carter
Oct 16, 1918 - August 30, 2008

So it has been a whirlwind of emotions here at our household lately. We have had soo many changes going on with our lives, and it has just been one thing after another. J and i just got back from Ut...We went to attend the funerol for our good ol' Grandpa Ralph. We are glad we were able to get down there for the funeral, but we are both way bummed we were not able to be with the family for his last moments in this life.

He passed away at his loving daughters home(j's mom) and he was surrounded by his family. The hard part about living away from family is that fact we were not able to be there during this time. It has been really difficult on me. I grew to love this man soo much. He is one of the most amazing people i know...i am soo glad i had the time i did to be with him. I am soo lucky that j and i were able to enjoy our hawaii trip with grandpa ralph this last spring. We were truly blessed to be able to have that time we got to have with him. I have soo many fond memories of him. I could go on for days and days about his funny stories. I am going to miss him dearly. It is going to be hard not having him around the family anymore. He really did light up my life! I loved to try to make his day every time i was with him. I loved dancing with him...and i loved always getting him to shake his booty!! He doesnt just get out and shake his booty for anyone, so i am soo blessed that he would do it with me! He was such an outgoing man! And even though he didnt have all his brain power because of his strokes..he still plugged on happily with his life. He was always happy. He loved his family..He loved his "grey flannel slacks" He loved to look nice. He loved when you were all dressed up...especially when the guys would get all dressed up...he would get soo excited about their "nice shirt and tie", he would always comment that he needed to "get him one of those!" He loved to try to remember events or things he did, by getting "treasures" and putting them down his shirt. I will never forget the many halirous memories i have of this. He thought that if he could get something from where he was he would remeber it! We could go on for days about all of Grandpa Ralph's "special treasures." I am going to miss this man. I am going to miss all of his compliments he always gave to people. I am going to miss watching him always trying to make people happy.

Oh grandpa ralph... we are going to miss you soo much. He has had such an amazing run here in this life. I know that the heavens rejoiced when he was called back home on August 30, 2008. I know that it was truly an amazing reunion he had with his dear wife up in heaven. He has missed wanda soo much since her passing 3 years ago. I also wanted to let Dayna, J's mom, know what an amazing person she is. She has done such an amazing job with taking care of grandpa these last 3 years. I just want to tell her how grateful I am to her, and what an amazing person she is.

Grandpa Ralph we are all going to miss you dearly...you are "one good looking chicken" and you will be really really missed.

Take care grandpa..we cant wait to see you again!!!